Tiny Lifeflight
by Boltshok
Summary: A strange twist on a M!A...when a certain medic wakes up stuck in a doll-sized frame, what will Winnie think...or do to make him normal?
1. Chapter 1

Winnie slowly gets up as her alarm goes off.

"Good morning," she mumbles, sleepy-eyed.

After stretching, she hops up and changes out of her pajamas into jeans and a purple Batman t-shirt. Winnie walks out of her room, and starts the morning chores. She wanders around outside with King, checking for any disturbances in the shops or out buildings, but as the morning wears on, she notices something wrong.

Lifeflight would be up by now. Where was he? Winnie plods over to the side door into the bay, instructing King to stay outside. She pokes her head into the still dark room.

"Lifeflight? Are you in here?" she calls softly.

"W-W-Winnie!" comes a quiet, distressed cry, emanating from his berth.

Winnie opens the door wider, light flooding the bay. Lifelight's blanket is on the bed, rumpled, but he's not there.

"What?" she asks, looking around the room.

"Wh-where are you?" he whimpers. "I-I'm on the berth."

"Lifeflight?" Winnie says anxiously. "I'm right here. Is this...a game or something?"

"I-I-It's so dark," he says, and the blanket shifts on the berth. Is...is he ^ital^ under ^ital^ the blanket?

Winnie throws on the light and rushes over to the berth. The blanket rustles again and a tiny helm pops from between the folds. Lifeflight's tiny helm.

Winnie steps back in surprise.

"P-Please-se d-don't leave," he cries, tears glistening in his eyes. "W-Winnie...I'm f-frightened."

Winnie stops. "No-no, I'm not going anywhere, Lifeflight. Don't be afraid. Do you know what...what happened?" She bends down closer to the little bot.

"I-It w-was so-o dark-k," Lifeflight whispers, looking up at Winnie with wide eyes. "I-I was a-about-t to get up t-to overload and th-then I g-got covered-d by my b-blanket."

Winnie bites her lip. "Okay, then." She puts an elbow on the berth and bumps against a metal bracer. "Lifeflight...y-your armor didn't happen to...to shrink with you did it?"

"N-No," he whimpers. "B-But I th-think I-I h-had an accident."

His tears begin to run over, and he looks up at Winnie, beginning to tremble.

"Hush, Lifeflight, shh. It's gonna be okay. Here's what we're gonna do." She picks up Lifeflight, still wrapped in the giant blanket. "We'll find you some...clothes, I guess, get you cleaned up, and then we'll call G." She smiles at the mech in the blanket. "That sound good?"

"O-O-Okay," he says, clinging tightly to the blanket, "p-please don't-t drop m-me."

"It's okay, I won't."

She holds him a little tighter and turns to walk into the house. When she reaches the kitchen, she sets the slightly damp blanket on the counter. "I need to get you some clothes. Do you want to watch some TV?"

"N-No," Lifeflight murmurs, "b-but I'll-l listen."

Winnie clicks on the TV to old "The Smurfs" reruns, and rushes into her room. She rifles through a box in her closet until she finds what she was looking for.

Returning with a tiny, blue, plaid button up shirt, and a pair of small cargo pants she holds them up for Lifeflight's inspection. "Will these do? It's not armor, but..." She hands the clothes to Lifeflight.

"Y-Yes," he mumbles, still shivering. "D-do you have-ve a d-damp r-rag I can-n wash w-with?"

"Yep." Winnie runs a cloth through the sink and sets it beside Lifeflight. Turning around, she coms G via earpiece. "Gil? You up yet?"

"Good morning, Winnifred," a mech's voice on the line rumbles. "Are you looking for G?"

Lifeflight picks up the rag, and steps out of the blanket, beginning to clean up.

Winnie leans against the opposite countertop. "Sorry to bother you, but yes," she says.

"Hmm, no bother. All com lines are diverted to mine through the night and early morning. G is up and about downstairs, I got bath duty. Let me put you through."

"Thank you."

"Yo, what's up?"

"Mornin', Gil. Uh, I have a...predicament over here...it isn't normal for bots to shrink to half a foot overnight, right?"

"Oh jeez. Nope. Come right now. Forget eating, I've got breakfast on the table."

"Thank you, G I'll be there in ten."

"Alright, see you then."

She hangs up and turns to Lifeflight who is looking down at the baggy "Barbie" Ken clothes. "Uhh..I'm really sorry about that, but we need to go over to Gilli's."

"O-Okay," Lifeflight says, trying to figure out how the pants go on. "C-Can I use you-ou as a reference?"

"Guh, um..." Winnie quickly closes her eyes when she notices he is still unclothed. "S-Sure."

She pulls at her shirt nervously. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Lifeflight puts one leg, then another into the jeans, pulling them on according to Winnie's example. Studying the zipper and button, he fastens them together and turns around, looking at her expectantly.

"Are...are you done?" Winnie asks, eyes still closed.

"I-I think so," Lifeflight says. "Th-the shirt did-dn't fit."

Winnie opens her eyes and relaxes. "I'm sorry I don't have anything better, but we need to get over to G's."

"I-It's okay," he murmurs, beginning to shiver again. "But I-I'm f-f-freezing."

"I'm sorry, Barbie clothes aren't designed to be functional. Hmm...I'll be right back." Winnie runs into her room and returns wearing a shirt with a pocket on the front.

Lifeflight looks up at Winnie. Why did she change her shirt?

"You can sit in my pocket, so you won't fall. I'm gonna have to ride Brawny though, is that ok?"

"Uh..." Lifeflight whines. "I w-welcome the pocket-t, but the Pa'li..."

"I swear I'll go slow...but if you're really opposed to it, then I'll go on foot."

"N-No...I-I will do it."

"Okay, then." Winnie sets her hand on the table, palm up, for Lifeflight to stand on.

Walking over to her hand, Lifeflight looks up at her. "I-I don't want to hurt-t you," he says.

"You won't," she says, smiling.

Slowly stepping onto her hand, Lifeflight wobbles, sitting down roughly on her hand, hanging onto her wrist.

Winnie laughs and lifts her hand up to the pocket, sliding the bot into it. "How's that?"

"W-Warm," Lifeflight says softly, snuggling down into the pocket. "You're warm-m."

"I certainly don't get cold." Winnie walks smoothly over to the door and slides on her cloak and boots.

Lifeflight is able to look through the fibers of the shirt to the outside, and watches as Winnie walks outside, then back around to the stable. Winnie readies Brawny and stands on the railing to climb on, instead of swinging on.

"Are you alright?" she asks, looking down into the pocket.

"Y-yeah," Lifeflight says, curling up against her chest. "Y-you are warm."

"Thanks." She looks up, and nudges Brawny into a brisk walk. "Tell me if I go too fast."

"I w-will," Lifeflight says.

Winnie urges Brawny onto the main road, the trees passing swiftly overhead. As they pass by the village she waves and calls to a few people before continuing. Within four minutes she stops Brawny at the door to Base.

She slides off the Pa'li's back and feeds him a sugar cube. The horse nickers and turns to dash home. Winnie walks through the doorway of the mainbay, and skirts around the tall bots coming and going through the halls. Finally she stumbles into the medbay.

"Ratchet? Are you here?"

"Winnifred. What can I help you with?"

"Hi Ratchet! I need to get over to G's house, quickly."

"You needn't ask me," Ratchet says. "The warp pad filters out unknown or unwanted signatures."

"Thank you. But still, I thought I should ask. I'll see ya later!" she calls, jogging over to the warp pad.

"C-Careful," Lifeflight calls, hanging onto the inside of Winnie's pocket.

...

"Sorry," Winnie says, slowing to a walk as she boards the pad.

Appearing on the other side of the warp pad, Winnie arrives in the kitchen.

"Gil?" Winnie calls out.

"Here," G calls from in the living room. "C'mon in."

Winnie reaches into her pocket and pulls out Lifeflight, cupped in her hand. She walks out of the kitchen, looking for the source of her friend's voice.

"Winnie!" G exclaims, finally seeing the huntress. "Oh dear..."

Lifeflight hangs onto Winnie's hand, and G pats the counter. "You can be on the counter, Lifeflight. Are you feeling alright? Are you hungry?"

"Hungry," Lifeflight says quietly. "Thank you f-for carrying me, Winnie."

"You're welcome," she says, smiling and lowering her hand to the counter.

Hopping off, Lifeflight steadies himself, and sits down.

Winnie walks over to Gilli. "What...what happened to him? Do you know?"

"No," G says, "except that whatever happened will revert in a week. One week tiny, and then he changes back. Bumblebee went through a similar stage."

"What did I do?" Bee asks, walking downstairs with Raybeam in one arm.

"Hi, Bee!" Winnie waves at him, then turns to Gilli. "Does Ratchet know anything about this? I met him in the medbay, but thought I should talk to you first."

"He didn't know what happened. This is all we know," G says. "I see you have found some...clothing...for him."

Winnie face turns pink. "Well, it was all I had and...yeah...not the best decision."

"You made do," G says. "Would you like some armor, Lifeflight?"

"Just one," he says. "Th-the rest w-will just get in the way."

"Alright. Do you mind if I carry you?"

"N-No."

"I'll be right back, Dub," G says, picking Lifeflight up and heading for the stairs.

When she leaves Winnie fidgets with the edge of her cloak. "Good crimany."

"Are you hungry?" Bumblebee asks, setting Raybeam down.

"A little, but it's alright, I can eat at the compound." She smiles at Raybeam.

"You're here for breakfast, G said," Bumblebee rumbles, looking down at Raybeam, who has his hands raised to be picked up. "I can make you something."

"Hungry!" Raybeam cries, doorwings flicking to gain Bumblebee's attention.

"Of course you are," Bumblebee says, smiling and picking up the sparkling, setting him on the counter. "Energon?"

"Yah!"

Pouring a toddler's cup of energon, Bee hands it to him and sets Raybeam back down on the floor. "I'm not going to poison you," he says to Winnie, with a hint of humor.

"No, you would do something much worse to me," she laughs.

"What would I do?" Bumblebee asks, setting down the pitcher of energon and leaning across the counter to look into Winnie's eyes, searching for the meaning. "Do you think I blame you for what happened?"

"Well, I blame myself. So..." She looks down and plays peek-a-boo with Raybeam.

"Why?" Bumblebee asks.

"Well...it was my fault, my fail, therefore, it's my turn for the 'blame'."

"How is it your fault?" Bumblebee asks, "You acted upon instinct. It was the right thing to do at the time."

Raybeam drops his cup, picks it up again, and takes a drink.

"Anyhow, you like eggs or pancakes?" Bumblebee asks.

"It's alright, Bee. You don't have to go to the trouble." She taps Raybeam on the shoulder and then spins around pretending nothing happened.

"I have five mouths to feed, not including my own. One more, two more, five, won't be any problem," Bumblebee says. "You weren't here for the reunion."

"The reunion?"

"All of our sparklings came home one year to meet each other, since their births were so spaced out. Scorpion and Spider dropped by too...we don't have any issue feeding large numbers of people."

"Cool. How'd it go?"

"Fine...it was kinda crowded in here. Pancakes or eggs?"

"Pancakes, please." She taps Raybeam on his other shoulder, continuing the game.

"Alright," Bumblebee says with a smile, turning to a cupboard to pull out the ingredients.

"What's it like being small? Like Lifeflight is now."

"Frightening," Bumblebee says, shoulders shuddering. "Everything... everyone are always so much bigger than you. And it's very cold. Somehow, being so small decreases your body temperature and it's constantly very cold."

"I wondered why that was. I thought it was just the lack of armor."

"Nope...I thought that until Ratchet explained what little he hypothesized to us. I was always hungry, and terribly cold."

"I'll remember that. Thank you." She plays with Raybeam, making the toddler giggle.

Footsteps are heard coming down the stairs, and Shield walks into the kitchen. Nodding to Winnie, he walks into the living room and sits on the couch, reading. Blade follows, coming down the stairs noisily and walking into the kitchen, glaring at Winnie before pulling himself up into a bar chair.

"Nice to see you too," Winnie smiles at the red sparkling.

Blade huffs and slides down, walking out into the living room, opening up the porch and stepping outside, shutting the door, and sitting down.

"Sorry," Winnie calls after him.

"He's been in a foul mood as of late," Bumblebee says, mixing the pancake batter. "You like blueberry pancakes?"

"Absolutely!"


	2. Chapter 2

Pulling out a bowl of blueberries from the fridge, he dumps them in, folding them into the batter. Setting a pan on the stove, he turns it on, and pours in some batter for the first pancake.

"How many do you want?" Bumblebee asks.

"I'll just have the one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, please," she says, smiling.

Flipping the pancake, Bee waits for it to brown. "Do I upset you?" he asks softly, looking back at Winnie from the stove.

Winnie laughs. "No. No you don't, Bee. I'm afraid that I do a pretty good job of upsetting you though."

"Nope," he says, "you are...intriguing. It might be just me, but whenever I come in, you go out."

Winnie looks up quizzically. "Really?"

"I'm not going to beat around the proverbial bush, Winnie. You seem so... carefree... around G and the rest, but when it comes to me... you snap shut. I'm just curious as to why that happens."

"Well... you're G's best friend. I don't want to make you upset anyway... but doubly so because I trust you."

"Hey," Bumblebee says, standing up and grabbing a plate out of a cupboard, sliding it across to Winnie. "You're G's best friend too. I want to be as close to you as she is."

Winnie smiles at him. "Thank you."

Flipping the pancake again, he pulls the pan off the stove and flips the pancake over his shoulder, sending the round disk flying onto Winnie's plate. Reaching into the oven, he gingerly pulls out a hot cup of syrup, setting it down with a pot holder near Winnie.

"Breakfast," he says with a smile, "is served."

Winnie takes a bite of the pancakes. "How are bots so good at making pancakes?"

"You can't make pancakes?" Bumblebee asks. "C'mon you three, how many pancakes do you want?"

"Two," Shield calls.

"Half!" Raybeam squeals, looking up at Winnie and smiling.

"No," Blade grumbles.

Winnie laughs at the various requests "Sure I can make a pancake... but not THIS good."

"I can't help you then," Bee says, pouring more batter. "G will want three and I get the rest. Are you sure I can't tempt you with another?"

"I'm sure."

Steps walk down the stairs, and G comes into the kitchen, Lifeflight held carefully in her hands. He is still wearing the pants, but the sharp angles of armor can be seen under them.

"W-Winnie?" he asks. "Good morning, Bumblebee."

"Morning, Lifeflight," Bee says, flipping a pancake.

"How's the armor fit?"

"It's a-alright," Lifeflight says. "It's a little big."

Setting Lifeflight down on the counter, G reaches into a cupboard, pulling a shot glass out.

"I'm not making shots this early," Bumblebee rumbles, and G laughs.

"No. Lifeflight, you think you can manage a shot glass? I'll have to find our 'tiny instruments' if not."

"I th-think it should b-be okay. W-Would you pour Winnie some, too?"

Winnie finishes her pancake and watches Lifeflight walk over the counter.

Setting the half-full shot glass down near Lifeflight, G pours another full size glass, setting it by Winnie. After filling four more glasses, G sets out plates, which Bumblebee fills with the requested number of pancakes. There is a stack of six left over for himself.

"Are you sure you don't want one?" Bumblebee asks.

"I'm fine, Bee, the one was delicious," Winnie responds.

"Why don't we move over to the table?" G asks. "There is more room over there."

"Okay." Winnie puts a hand down for Lifeflight and picks up his shot glass, and her glass as well.

"I've got the plates," Bumblebee says, scooping up two per hand. "Well, most of them."

"I've got the rest," G says.

Winnie walks to the table and gently sets Lifeflight down on the table.

"Th-thank you," Lifeflight says, watching where Winnie will sit down.

Winnie turns to Gilli. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nope, sit down and eat," G says, setting the remaining plates down on the dining table. "Shield, Raybeam, breakfast."

The two sparklings come in, pulling themselves up into their chairs.

"Pick a spot and sit," G says, gesturing to Winnie.

Winnie looks back at the table and pulls out the chair closet to Lifeflight's place on the table. Bumblebee sits down diagonally from Winnie, and G across from him. Shield sits down next to Bee, and Raybeam on Winnie's right.

"Blade? Come inside, it's time for breakfast."

"Not hungry."

His answer is stark and cold, but Bumblebee calls to him again.

"If you come in, I'll give you a booster."

Winnie takes a sip of her energon and watches Blade stomp into the doorway. Shutting the door loudly, Blade stalks across to Bumblebee, who reaches into subspace and pulls out a syringe and a cryovial of bond blocker.

Barely pulling any into the syringe, Bee takes Blade's now outstretched arm and injects him. Blade shivers and sighs, a content smile touching his lips. Looking to the empty seat next to G, he sits down, putting his head in his arms on the tabletop.

Winnie, unsure of how to respond, looks down at Lifeflight sitting on the edge of her empty plate. Swiping his finger through some syrup on the edge, Lifeflight sucks on it, looking up at Winnie. The level of energon in his shot glass is down a little, and his tiny rotors flick slightly.

"Do you want some pancake?" Winnie gestures to a chunk of syrup-soaked pancake on the other end of her plate.

Lifeflight shakes his head shyly, licking some more syrup off his hand. "N-No, thank you."

Bumblebee snags the syrup and drizzles it over his stack of pancakes, and then sends it down to Shield. Raybeam giggles and looks up at Winnie, eyes bright.

"Would you like some pancake for your syrup, Monsieur?" Winnie asks Raybeam, picking up her fork. She stabs an imaginary pancake and pretends to shove the whole thing in her mouth, cheeks puffed and chewing loudly.

Raybeam squeals and giggles, looking over at Bee, panels wide and bouncing with joy.

"Eat, silly," Bumblebee rumbles, his panels flicking back at Raybeam.

Raybeam picks up his fork with some difficulty, and sticks his pancake, unsure of what to do with it. In the other room, Oneshot begins to fuss.

"Can someone help Ray?" G asks, standing up and scooting out to go aide Oneshot.

Winnie leans over and gently takes the fork from him. She cuts his pancake into toddler size bits, a few looking like stars. When she's done she moves a few bits into the shape of a smiley face, and hands the fork back to the toddler.

Raybeam takes it with great concentration, sticking a piece of pancake and managing to put it into his mouth. Oneshot quiets in the other room as G tends to him.

Bumblebee takes a knife and slices through his stack, making six pieces out of each pancake. Spearing one, he folds it over and eats it, relishing the soft, fluffy cake. Shield is nearly done, and once he has consumed the last mouthful, picks up his plate, deposits it on the counter, and heads for the reading room.

"What are you doing the rest of this week?" Bumblebee asks, looking to Winnie.

"Um..." Winnie looks down at Lifeflight. "One of the ranchers is bringing his cows down south on Wednesday, and asked me to look them over. Other than that, just a few bits and bobs, after chores. Anything you can think of, Lifeflight?" She looks down at the bot.

"N-No," Lifeflight says. "C-Can I sit with you? I-I'm getting-g cold again."

"Sure." Winnie puts out a hand so he can climb on.

Climbing onto Winnie's hand, Lifeflight hangs on as she pulls him in, lowering him down into her lap, and wraps her arm around him so he won't fall.

"That good?" she smiles down at him.

"Mmm..." he says softly, nuzzling into a flap of her cloak.

"Sounds like your week is pretty free, then. You need any hands for the cattle run?"

"It should be okay. I got ahold of a chute not too long ago, which I can't believe. You can certainly come if you want, though."

"Well, I can come out and make sure they get to you safely," Bumblebee says. "I might bring Wrath or another of the studs for some added power."

"Whatever floats your boat. They shouldn't be too rowdy yet, since they're coming south so early."

"I just don't want you to get harmed."

"Bee, I'm gonna be fine. All I'll be doing is checking up on them." Winnie says laughing.

Bumblebee looks over Winnie's head, and taps on his chest, over his spark chamber.

"Please," he whispers, "I want to get out of the house. I've been confined to bed rest and I'm tired of it."

Winnie blinks. "I'm fine with you coming, but if G or Ratchet wants you to stay put then..." She looks cautiously around the corner for G. "I just don't plan on being beheaded anytime soon."

"I can prevent that," Bumblebee says. "They want me, not you. If you don't want me for the cattle drive, I'll go down through the lower regions of Anilex and look around."

Winnie sighs. "Alright."

Bee smiles. "I think Lifeflight is asleep...he's awfully quiet."

Winnie looks down and blushes. "Cripes. He did. I better get home soon... so I'm going to meet the rancher at 6:30... do you want me to give you the coordinates or meet at the compound?"

"Either," Bumblebee says, taking another bite of pancake.

"It'll probably be easier to go to the compound first. About..6:10?"

"Wednesday morning? Sounds good," Bumblebee says. "Whoops... Raybeam, what are you doing?"

Winnie looks over to Raybeam, who is trying to stuff the last piece of pancake in his little mouth. Raybeam finally squeezes the piece of pancake in, some syrup dripping onto his chest.

"I guess one of us will have another shower this morning," Bumblebee says, smiling and trying not to laugh. "Don't even think about copying him, Winnie. I'm not washing you."

Blade picks himself up, and as he stands up, knocks the syrup over... _all_ _over_ Winnie, her cloak, and her chair. Raybeam is splattered, and Blade stares at the mess he made.

"Blade," Bumblebee says quietly. "Go sit on the porch."

Winnie lifts Lifeflight up and deposits him in the next chair before the syrup gets on him. "No, it's alright, it was just an accident. Right, Blade?" She grabs her napkin and tries to stop the syrup from hitting the floor.

Blade looks at Winnie then to Bumblebee, and grumbles, turning and walking out onto the porch.

"W-Winnie?" Lifeflight asks sleepily.

"Hi, sleepy head," Winnie says, trying to balance a pool of syrup on the hem of her shirt.

"What happened?" he asks.

"Th-that's a bit of a problem," he says.

Walking in with Oneshot, G sees the syrup all over Winnie, the floor, and Raybeam.

"I see what you mean," she says, looking to Bumblebee. "Raybeam, why don't you go get in the shower? Daddy will join you."

Bumblebee sticks his tongue out at G, and stands up, motioning to Raybeam.

"You look... sticky," G says to Winnie.

"Yeah, I'm sorry... I better get home before get the rest of the place sticky... thank you so much, though."

"I was actually going to suggest that you clean up," G says. "You could at least pull of your icky stuff and put it in a bag so that you won't goo up the rest of Base."

"Yeah, I doubt that Ratchet would thank me. But I don't want you to go to the trouble over me."

"I have a bag here. Eew, it's on your shirt - let me go grab one."

Pulling a bag out from under the kitchen sink, G hands it to Winnie, and turns for the stairs. Winnie stands up and peels off her cloak. She drops it into the bag and looks over at Lifeflight, who is sitting on the chair, swinging his legs back and forth.

"Lifeflight?"

"Yes?"

"I-I was thinking... G and Bee are a little more prepared for this kind of thing, and you might... I was wondering if you wanted to stick around here, where you might be more... comfortable... until this wore off." She looks down and bites her lip.

"I-I don't want t-to leave," he says quietly, looking down at his knees. "You'd be alone."

"I-I wouldn't be alone... it would only be for a week, and you would probably be better off..."

"N-No," Lifeflight whimpers, looking up at Winnie, wiping the corner of his eyes. "I-I don't want to leave."


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay...okay, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt." Winnie crouches down next to him and puts her hand on the chair beside him.

Looking at Winnie, Lifeflight puts his hand on her finger.

"I-I won't get hurt-t," he says softly. "Y-You're there."

Winnie smiles and her cheeks turn a little pink. She straightens up and says quietly, "We're gonna go here, in a bit."

"Okay," Lifeflight says, swinging his legs and watching the jeans swish. "I'll t-try not to fall asleep o-on the way back."

"It's okay if you do," she says, trying to wipe some syrup out of her hair.

"I'll keep th-that in mind," he murmurs as he yawns again.

"Here, will this fit?" G asks, bringing a shirt down the stairs.

"I bet it will, thanks Gil. I'll wash it and get it back to you. Um... do you have a spare bathroom I could change in?" she asks, taking the shirt.

"Er..." G says. "Bumblebee's in the downstairs one...if you go upstairs, second door on your left, is our room, and you can use the bathroom in there. I'll sit with Lifeflight while you go change."

"Thanks." Winnie smiles to her, and hops up the stairs. She finds the room and gently pushes open the door.

Walking in, she sees a slightly messy bed, with a light yellow, torn, ripped, and sewed-together blanket thrown over it. The bathroom door is across from the bed, on the left. Gingerly crossing the room, Winnie opens the bathroom door. She walks in and closes it behind her. Peeling off her syrupy shirt and tries to wipe off as much sticky as she can before putting the other one on.

Winnie turns and places the old shirt in the bag. Tying the top she leaves the bathroom and heads back into the hall, closing each door behind her. She jumps down the stairs and back to the kitchen.

"Gil, I forgot to tell you. On Wednesday, you might want to hold your breath when Bee comes back from helpin' me."

"Why?" G asks.

"Remember vaccinating cows, way back?"

"Oh yes," G says, shifting in her stance. "Do try not to kill him, please?"

"Tell that to the cows." Winnie says, smiling. "Thanks for breakfast and the shirt. I'm sorry I bothered you."

"No problem, no bother," G says. "Are you out of the shower yet?"

"Yup," Bumblebee says, walking out with damp armor. "Why?"

"Could you give Winnie a ride back to the compound?"

"Of course."

"It's alright, I can walk. It's not far."

"I'll take you," Bumblebee says. "I want to make sure you return home safely."

"I'll be _safe_," Winnie sighs, looking up at him.

"You have Lifeflight. And I don't know who knows about him... besides I want to drive on the new road."

"Fine... it's going to be great, Max did an amazing job on it." Winnie looks over to Lifeflight. "Are you ready to go?"

"Y-yep," Lifeflight says, and stands on the chair.

Winnie walks quickly over to the chair and lays a hand down for him to climb on. Climbing up, Lifeflight hangs on tightly to Winnie's sleeve as she picks him up. "Let's go, then."

"I'll see you around, G," Winnie says, giving her a hug, careful not to squish Lifeflight. She calls a quick goodbye to the others and turns to Bee.

"You ready?" Bumblebee asks, "Did you leave anything else?"

"I hope not." Winnie says with a smile.

"Alright," Bumblebee says. "She-humans first."

"Ladies," G corrects.

"Right," he gasps. "Ladies... first."

He gestures to the warp pad. Winnie cradles Lifeflight in the crook of her arm and steps through the pad field.

...

Bumblebee follows close after, and they arrive in medbay.

"Tattoos," Ratchet calls, and Bumblebee grumbles, peeling off his armor to reveal the IDML band tattoos.

Walking out of the medbay, Bumblebee parts the waters, walking straight through the mainbay, all Mecha going around him. Winnie keeps close on his heels, careful of Lifeflight. Bumblebee transforms outside of the mainbay doors, and pops the passenger door for Winnie.

"Hop in."

Winnie clambers into the cozy seat, and she lays Lifeflight down in her lap. Lifeflight looks up at Winnie, eyes beginning to droop with drowsiness.

"Belt," Bumblebee rumbles, and the racing harness slides down from out of nowhere and buckles Winnie in, carefully bypassing Lifeflight.

"I've been in more wrecks than I care to remember," Bee reasons. "Are you easily carsick?"

"As far as I know? Nope."

"Good...I need to know these things," Bee chuckles, firing up his engine with a roar. "Let's roll."

Winnie tightens the seatbelt nervously.

"I've got a smooth suspension," Bumblebee says softly, voice echoing through his inner speakers. "It won't be rough."

Lifeflight sits against Winnie, hand wrapped in her shirt. Slowly, he drifts back to sleep. Bumblebee begins to move, and the scenery passes quickly. Winnie smiles at Lifeflight as a warm feeling spreads through her. Pulling up to the compound, Bumblebee quietly opens the door, and the belts retract silently from Winnie's form.

"I'll see you Wednesday," he murmurs.

"You too. And thank you again, those were great pancakes. Thank you for everything," she whispers, careful not to wake the tiny mech.

"No problem," he answers, voice soft.

Walking into her house, Winnie looks for a place to lay Lifeflight. Finally, she makes a decision. She carefully walks into the bay room and picks up Lifeflight's blanket, and another quilt on the floor. She takes the bundle outside and lays Lifeflight at the base of a tree. She quickly fashions a hammock between two close trees, and lays the blue bot in it. After wrapping him in his blanket, she turns to do her chores.

...

Lifeflight wakes up a few hours later, gently swinging in the makeshift hammock. Where's Winnie?

"Winnie?" he asks, sitting up.

"Lifeflight? Are you up?" She pokes her head out from the kennels.

"Y-yes," he says, "wh-where are you?"

"Right here." She walks over to him, with hay in her hair.

"O-Oh good," he says, relieved. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Looking for my comlink...I think I dropped it...are you hungry?" she asks, yanking at the hay.

"Y-yes," he says, looking up at her.

"What would you like?"

"A-anything, a-although I need to o-overload," he says shyly. "P-pardon."

"Okay. Here, I'll take you in." She holds out a hand to the mech on the wobbly hammock. He cautiously reaches out, taking Winnie's hand and pulling himself up and into it.

"Whew," he says, once situated.

"Are you alright?" she asks him, walking towards the house.

"Y-yes," he says. "N-not sleepy anymore...it seems l-like there is always one need after another, and th-that dominates my thinking. Hungry, must eat. Cold, must heat."

"It makes sense, though." Winnie says, as she walks through the door.

"I-it does?" Lifeflight asks. "How?"

"Smaller animals are constantly in motion, ready to run from larger threats. Therefore, they need more food to keep up that energy; their metabolisms are higher and they need to keep warm. They also sleep a lot during they day. So in effect, you're kind of... a hamster right now."

She comes into the bathroom and sets Lifeflight on the counter beside the sink.

"W-Wow," he says, looking up at Winnie. "I-I absolutely find it fascinating-g, b-but-"

Winnie's eyes widen. "I'm sorry...I think that you'll have to go in the... in the sink. I don't really have much else... I'm sorry."

She turns and walks out, closing the door behind her.

...

Lifeflight sighs, and after he is through, sits on the edge of the counter, swinging his legs. That blue line down to the drain will be embarrassing for Winnie to see.

"Winnie?" he asks, quietly.

Winnie, not hearing him, busies herself in the kitchen.

"What do I make a mech for lunch?" she asks herself. Up until a little while ago he'd only eaten energon. "What does he like?"

"W-Winnie?" Lifeflight tries, again.

This time Winnie freezes. "Lifeflight, was that you?"

"W-Winnie?" Lifeflight asks, a little more anxiously.

She walks down to the bathroom door. "Are you done?"

"Y-yeah," he says quietly. "D-Did you find your comlink o-outside?"

"No. Brawny must've hid it," she says, opening the door a crack.

"I-I'm presentable," he says softly.

"Good." Winnie opens the door. "I know you said you'd like anything for lunch, but what would you like?"

"Um..." Lifeflight says, swinging his legs. "What are y-you having?"

"I-I don't know yet..."

"I-if you're hungry, th-that is," Lifeflight says. "I-I know there is-s an open cube of energon in th-the fridge."

"Well, let's go see what we can find."

Winnie lays a hand down for Lifeflight. Seeing the blue streak in the sink, she turns on the water for a second, washing it away.

"I-I c-couldn't reach the faucet," Lifeflight says quietly, hanging onto Winnie's hand.

"It's okay," Winnie smiles down at him.

She turns and walks smoothly into the back into the kitchen. Now a small chair and table sit on the counter, where she sets Lifeflight down.

"Wh-What is this?" he asks, looking over the tiny set curiously.

"I just... I didn't know if you wanted to sit on the counter all the time.. and I had this, it... er... it's a stupid idea. Sorry," Winnie says, reaching for the furniture.

"N-No..." Lifeflight says quietly. "I-It's my size."

Slowly easing down into the chair, he looks up at Winnie. "N-Now, if only I had a tiny Winnie," he jokes.

"Yeah, really. Then you would have a person to make big mistakes and and a person to make little ones," she says, smiling. "So where did that energon go?"

Searching through the fridge, she finds a block of cheese, the cube of energon, and a chilled sausage of crackers. "Do you like cheese and crackers?"

"U-Um... what's a c-cracker?" Lifeflight asks.

"Uhh, it's this." Winnie sets the open cube of energon on the table and pulls a box of club crackers from the cupboard. Breaking off a small piece she gingerly hands it to him. Taking the piece from Winnie, he nibbles on it.

"I-I think I do," he says softly. "I've n-never had a cr-cracker b-before."

"Well, now you have," she says, breaking off more bits and setting them on a piece of napkin on the table. "Have you had cheese before?"

"I've used-d it t-to make tortillas," he offers.

"Mmm...would you like some? I have some cheddar, and some goat cheese too." She takes out the cheddar and cuts herself a slice.

"Mmm...the cheddar sounds n-nice," Lifeflight says.

Winnie cuts off a few small pieces and then pours the energon into a mug, smaller than Gilli's shot glasses. She sets the food on his little table and pulls a chair over to the counter.

"I f-feel like a t-turbomouse," Lifeflight says.

Winnie laughs. "Then you better hope Creamy isn't hungry."

Lifeflight's eyes widen, and he looks around for the cat. "P-please d-don't-t let th-that happen-n," he whispers, looking up at Winnie.

"I won't, it's alright. Creamy knows you. And, she's not much of a mouser. One ran right in front of her nose, and she just yawned," Winnie says, mentally kicking herself.

"O-Oh," Lifeflight says, shoulders relaxing.

After he munches down most of the pieces of cracker and cheese, he watches Winnie finish hers. "Wh-what are you g-going to do now?" he asks.

"Probably try and find that lost comlink. Are you still hungry?" she asks, brushing crumbs from the counter.

"N-No," Lifeflight says, drinking the rest of his energon. "C-Can I follow you?"

"Sure," she says."Tell me if you need anything."

She stands up and puts her hand beside the tiny table. Clambering onto Winnie's hand, Lifeflight hangs on as she walks. Winnie passes out of the house, but leaves the door open. When she walks into the stable she sets Lifeflight on a post. Brawny is in the opposite corner, splashing water against the wall. Winnie smiles at the bot before crouching down and sifting through the pile of fresh hay in the corner.

"Wh-What channel d-did you leave it on?" Lifeflight asks. "I m-might be able to pinpoint-t the signal."

"Try W-103. That might be it." She sticks her head deep into the dry grass.

"O-Okay," Lifeflight says, and coms the earpiece. "H-Hello? Can you hear m-me?"

"Wait, say that again." Winnie digs deeper into the hay.

"H-Hello?" Lifeflight asks, "C-Can you hear me?"

Winnie shuffles around as Lifeflight talks. Stumbling out of the crunchy hay she freezes. Feeling around in her back pocket, she pulls out the missing com. "Wow... I'm an idgit," Winnie says, laughing.

"W-Wow," Lifeflight says, laughing with her. "I-I wouldn't have thought i-it would be there."

"It's almost always there...I never thought to look. Thank you," she says, rolling it in her hand.

"I-if you p-put it in your ear, th-then I c-could talk to you," Lifeflight says. "S-so I don't g-get lost."

Winnie holds her hand out for Lifeflight to jump onto. "I won't lose you," she replies, but she puts the com into her ear anyway.

Yawning, Lifeflight sighs. "W-Well, would you l-look at th-that," he murmurs. "Sl-Sleepy again. I'm a-afraid I'm not much fun."

"Lifeflight, having you here has been some of the best times I've had in a while." She walks him back outside. "Do you want to sleep in the hammock?"

"Wh-where will y-you be?" he asks.

"I'll stick to the woods close to the compound. Close enough so you can call me." Carefully, she sets Lifeflight down in his blanket.

"O-Okay," he murmurs, curling up in the sun-warmed blanket. "Th-Thank you..."

"You're welcome," Winnie says softly, before backing up into the house.


End file.
